Help John Dempsey Fight Cancer

In 2019, John was diagnosed with Colon Cancer for the first time. John went through his first surgery at Rush where they removed twelve inches of his colon. John recovered well and moved on with his life. Then one year later in 2020, during his one-year check-up, John was diagnosed again with Colon Cancer. John was this time put on chemotherapy treatment for six weeks and five weeks of radiation treatment. After his treatments, John had a biopsy surgery to check to make sure the tumor was benign. John was released the same day from the hospital and that night John’s health began to deteriorate. John was rushed back to the hospital that night and it was determined he had internal bleeding. We nearly lost John that night. John had to spend a week in the hospital in ICU, where they had to drain two pints of blood and he required two blood transfusions. In 2021, John had another surgery to remove the benign tumor and during this surgery more cancer was found. During this surgery John had to be given an ostomy bag and again had to go through six weeks of chemotherapy treatments. In October of 2022, John went in for his yearly scan and he was told he was cancer free. In November 2022, John began to have some discomfort, lower back pain and bleeding. He went back for a scan and it was determined the cancer had returned for a third time. John was told by doctors that there was nothing more they could do for him but he could go for a second opinion. John and his family decided on Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. John was tested by Mayo and it was confirmed the cancer was back and in a very complicated location and now at stage IV. John’s choices were to go on maintenance chemotherapy for quality of life or doctors had to determine if surgery was possible because of where the cancer had settled. It was later determined that because of John’s age and physical condition surgery was an option. John must first go through four cycles of intense chemotherapy that can be done locally. After that John will go back Mayo for three weeks of radiation and surgery. John and his family are still dealing with the last four years of financial hardship from his continuing battle. John and Dina have to take off work so many days to deal with his illness including the more than a month they will have to spend at Mayo Clinic and future trips there. John has spent his life helping others and being there supporting so many with his bagpipes. John does not know how to say no when someone needs help. Now we are asking you to help John Dempsey and his family. We would be grateful for any help you can give.